CM Punk: "I Wasted Some Matches on People in AEW"

CM Punk feels like he "wasted some matches on some people" by working with certain individuals in AEW.

In an interview over the weekend on the Cheap Heat podcast at ComplexCon in Las Vegas, Punk was asked by Peter Rosenberg if there was anyone in AEW with whom he wished he could have told a story but didn't get the chance.

"No. I feel like I wasted some matches on some people for sure [laughs], but that is what it is," Punk said. "Like, some people understand the business, some people don’t. You know? And I think everybody here understands the business."

Punk did not name any specific individuals in AEW, but his two-year run with the company from 2021 to 2023 was marked by several backstage incidents, notably with The Elite (The Young Bucks & Kenny Omega) and later with Jack Perry. These tensions culminated in Punk's firing from AEW.

Despite his prominent role, Punk never faced off against The Young Bucks, Omega, or Perry in AEW, although he did engage in a tumultuous World title program with former Elite member Hangman Page.

After his AEW departure, Punk returned to WWE for the first time in over a decade. With Survivor Series 2023 marking the one-year anniversary of his return, Punk shared with Cheap Heat that his time back in WWE has been the "time of his life." The only downside has been his torn triceps, which sidelined him for several months. Despite the injury, Punk feels that WWE managed to "turn chicken sh*t into chicken salad" by keeping him on television during his recovery.

Punk recently triumphed over Drew McIntyre in a Hell in a Cell match at Bad Blood, and since then, he’s taken some time off from WWE programming. He is expected to resume a feud with Seth Rollins upon his return.

Reflecting on his career during the interview, Punk stated that he’s done so much that everything now feels like "frosting on a pretty badass cake," enjoying the ride since his WWE return.

⚡ Gable Steveson Reflects on WWE Release: “It Just Wasn’t the Right Time”

Gable Steveson explains that his time in WWE “just wasn’t the right time” for him. After signing a multi-year deal with W [...]

— Ben Jordan Kerin Nov 19, 2024 08:45PM